The present invention is directed generally to anchors for watercraft, and more particularly to an anchor having a releasable shank.
As can be appreciated, marine anchors should set quickly once dropped in the water, but should be able to be retrieved without undue difficulty. Unfortunately, it is common for anchors to become lodged in or under various obstructions, such as submerged trees, rocky ledges, submerged wreckage, and the like. When this happens, the anchor may become trapped such that pulling on the anchor line, even from above or behind the anchor, cannot free the anchor. Such situations may require that someone dive down to free the anchor, or that the anchor line be cut to free the watercraft, neither of which is desirable.
In order to overcome this problem, several anchor designs have been proposed that, rather than having only one fixed geometric relationship between the shank and the fluke, allow for some form of relative movement (typically rotation) between the shank and the fluke. Examples of such anchors are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,054,416 and 4,655,158. For example, when an anchor according to the '416 patent becomes trapped as described above, the user actuates a special locking mechanism release that releases the anchor's shank to rotate relative to its fluke. When released, the shank may be rotated to a position extending rearward of the fluke, thereby allowing the anchor to be retrieved by pulling backward on the anchor.
While such anchors address the problem of a stuck anchor, these designs have not proven entirely satisfactory for various reasons. As such, there remains a need for alternative anchor designs.